Category Archives: Bible Study

Yes, it is already Day #13 here. We start early in order to take the month of December off…it makes for a much more enjoyable holiday season!

It is already our 6th year of homeschooling too. Wow! I can hardly believe we’ve been doing it for six years!

There have definately been “ups” and “downs” along the way, however some of the bumps are smoothing out as I figure out what works best for us and adapt.

We’ve tried various curriculum and even virtual schooling, but finally settled on these for this year:

Bible – “Who is God? And Can I Really Know Him?”, Volume 1 of the “What We Believe” series written by John Hay and David Webb. I’ve tried various short bible studies and devotional books with the boys. We’ve also taken time to learn the books of the bible and just read bible stories, however the main goal in doing any of this is that they would grasp the concept of having a personal relationship with the Lord. My prayer is that they would not only have “head knowledge”, but mostly “heart knowledge” of the Lord, His grace-filled ways, and the purpose for their lives. Learning to see the world through a biblical viewpoint, rather than a worldly view, is something I was not taught at a young age. Hopefully doing this for my boys will save them many self-inflicted trials and point them toward service to others and to God.

Lesson #1 and #2 have been very engaging so far. The boys seem to grasp what the book is teaching very well. It is written in plain, everyday language and includes activities and stories to which they can relate. On top of that, they keep a notebook for recording vocabulary words, insightful opinions and expressions about different topics, and memorize scripture each week. It was very encouraging once this past week to see my youngest have his first “A-Ha!” moment about satan and God. I am praying that God would use the material in this book and in our schooling to reach his heart in such a way that I have not been able to explain. So far, so good!

Art – We’ll be doing various artsy type things. One book I found at a thrift store is “Exploring Textures in Watercolor” by Joye Moon. I will be painting right alongside the boys as we work our way through this book…..sort of a “perk” for me to be learning too, instead of just teaching!

Texas History – We are using “The Story of Texas” by Harcourt Brace along with “Discover Texas”, a CD based history program. Also included in the plan are adding two smaller unit studies on Cowboys and Indians. Each of the boys will be making a list of all the places we study in Texas. Towards the end of the school year, they will be able to choose one place on the list to visit in person. “Hands-on” makes the best learning!

This is a class easily combined for both grade levels. I think public schoolers in Texas usually do it in 4th grade, so in comparison, one of mine will be a year early and the other a year later than their peers. It saves me aLOT of time to be able to combine a few subjects. I just adjust the assignments and activities as needed for each grade level.

Language Arts – Grammar “Easy Grammar” by Easy Grammar Systems, Scottsdale, Arizona We tested this last year and found it to truly be “easy”, yet still challenging. I love the way it teaches prepositions first so that the other parts of speech are more easily recognizable. Once you mark out the prepositional phrases first, it is easy to spot the subject and verb. Also, although both boys are doing separate grade levels in this curriculum, the chapters are arranged similarly so I can usually teach both at the same time.

Language Arts – Writing This subject, I understand, is a common sore spot in every homeschooler’s plan. Even public school students and parents struggle with writing, mainly because they don’t do enough of it! (my opinion) Kids, especially elementary age kids, just. don’t. want. to. write! We’ve had many struggles with it. Although I love to write, trying to teach my boys to do it has been pretty difficult. Til this year, what we’ve tried to do did not have organization or depth. Now, we are trying a new curriculum shared by my friend that seems to be just what we needed. It will teach writing concepts at a self-paced/mastery plan and the same concepts will be used to build upon all the way through high school. Consistency in a long term plan seems the way to go in order for writing skills to be developed. It is the “Institute of Excellence in Writing” program.

Language Arts – Spelling Last year, we used a spelling program that had lots of activities and colorful pages. It also seemed a bit expensive when paired with other homeschooling expenses we had. This year, I found a year’s list of grade appropriate spelling words online and decided to use it for free 🙂 The word list came from K12Reader.com. I simply printed the year’s lists of words, placed them in a folder, and then taped daily instructions on the front for spelling activities. Each day, the boys grab their folder, complete that day’s exercises, and by the end of the week are prepared for the graded test. Daily activities include reading the words to me, circling any unfamiliar words, writing the words, writing sentences with the words, using a dictionary to write definitions of words I preselect for vocabulary, and then taking a practice test. So far, this has been a no-nonsense, no cost path to greater spelling! Yay for free!!

Language Arts – Reading I use LOTS of different materials to encourage reading success. One area of concentration this year is comprehension. Using an old Scott, Foresman reader, “Wheels and Rockets”, the boys are required to read certain stories and then answer the comprehension questions in complete sentences. We are working on changing a question into a complete statement and then answering the question. For example: “Why did the chicken cross the road?” Answer: “The chicken crossed the road because. it needed to get to the other side.” Rather than simply write “to get to the other side”, the boys are equating their answers to complete thoughts and proper speech. I also frequently require them to record the page number of where they found the answer by each question. This helps force them to look back at the story for correct information. Sometimes they do well, other times they confuse parts of the story, but we always talk through the answers and why something else might have been a better choice.

We do lots of silent reading as well. They are required to read silently for a certain amount of time. Sometimes I assign the material to read. Sometimes they get to choose. Sometimes they choose at the library. Sometimes I let them choose from a preselected group of books I put together before the school year started. I try to have a variety of reading levels, books and magazines for them…anything to keep their interest!

Language Arts – Handwriting I know, I know! This is a “lost Art” for many now a days. Call me “old school” if you want, but I still believe there is value in legible handwriting! Chances are that neither of my boys will be doctors, so I just assume that their boss will want to be able to read what they are writing, despite the Keyboard Age. To challenge them more, we also work on cursive writing! Doing cursive has actually made writing more exciting for them. They take greater pride in their assignments when forming the nicely slanted letters. This year, I’m not using any particular curriculum…..just notebook paper, starting with the ABC’s and moving towards mastery in connecting letters and words.

Science – “Exploring Creation with Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day” by Jeannie K. Fulbright After years of using her curriculum, I cannot imagine going to anything different! Thankfully, she has written even High School level science curriculum that we can look forward to. So far, we’ve completed Astronomy, Anatomy, and Zoology 1: Flying Creatures. She also sells spiral bound notebooks that accompany the study and I highly recommend them. They are interesting, creative, and provide the perfect place to record the course’s observations and for use in note taking.

Math – Teaching Textbooks This is a computerized math program that we started last year. It is a little behind the advanced curriculum we were using previously, however, it’s animated and fun for the boys to learn. It teaches, reinforces, quizzes, and challenges. It. even. GRADES! (Woo hoooooo! Oh how I loathe grading assignments, lol!) Anyway, I told the boys they could work at their pace (at least completing one grade level per year), but also can work ahead in order to stay challenged. We actually skipped a grade level for the youngest because the placement test he took showed he had already mastered 3rd grade concepts before this 3rd grade year had started. They love it! I love it! It’s a “win-win” math program that will take them well through any high school math requirements!

Music – This year we will be participating in a co-op music class. It will be taught by a very dear friend whom we have known for many years. (Hiiiiiiiiii Kariiiiiiiiii!) I’m so excited and know that outside the public school setting, she will be free to encourage the boys to use their talents for the Lord! This is going to be GREAT 🙂

Study Skills – One of the things I have learned in homeschooling is that kids do not naturally know how to study! Discovering this has changed alot in our daily plan. Now, we learn about strategies for memorizing information. We engage in conversation to spark the sharing of ideas and higher level thinking. They use “Brain Pop”, an online program for learning new things and practicing test taking as well as multiple choice answering, etc. We do crosswords, map studies, dictionary work, and even play thought provoking games like chess and scrabble. I just usually try to have some type of study skill building activity each week to encourage them toward self-controlled, well-prepared, study habits.

Physical Education – Although somewhat lacking in our plan right now, I know we will be active. We do sports like soccer and basketball. We also do Wii fit and other indoor activities. Probably not what we SHOULD be doing, but I will continue to look for opportunities for physical activity and act upon them. Now that we are also working on the farm, they should get lots of exercise! (and me 🙂

Other Co-op classes/activities – We will be meeting weekly with a dear group of friends who all homeschool. At last count, there were at least 40 kids participating, probably more. This will allow us the opportunity for more socialization as well as participating in group type classes. Co-op subjects we will be participating in are: Astronomy, Music, Citizenship, and US States.

We are also joining the local 4-H club this year. Archery will be our main project but we look forward to learning more about raising animals as well as participating in other projects and community service events.

Hmmmmm…..have I covered it all? It sounds like alot. Ok, actually it is, but thus is the challenge in homeschooling: attempting to expose our kids to the best education in order for them to be well-rounded, responsible individuals. I also believe homeschooling affords the greater opportunity to share Jesus with them in every area of life as well. If they can see Jesus in a math problem, then they are more likely to include Him in their thoughts and actions as they grow up. They will have a biblical worldview, as our bible curriculum calls it, and know the need and blessing for serving others.

Each year, God seems to equip me with what we will need to make schooling successful, and for that, I am so thankful! To God be the glory, from me and for my sons who will hopefully one day surrender their all to Him.

Just out of bed on the first day of school and he writes this message on the board.

Now, if I could just convince them that starting back to school doesn’t HAVE to be bad, lol!

Some of the last words from Joshua: “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15

If you are reading the Chronological plan, these are the words you will see today. As I thought about them, it reminded me of how many “things” we let into our house. Good and bad, these things affect our lives in ways we don’t often stop to…

This is our read through the bible blog page: http://www.bookchapterandverse.wordpress.com . Several of us have been attempting to do this since the beginning of the year. We started with 13 and are down to only a few, just as all New Year’s resolutions seem to go. Did you know that statistics show all New Year’s Resolutions are broken by week #4? Well, the good news is that reading the bible is always a good idea. Whether it be started on January 1st, June 1st or December 1st, we can all benefit from learning more of God’s word!

Today, we are playing a little memory game. Feel free to join in and participate! Answers will be posted later this evening.

P.S. We’d love to have any of you join the group. Begin on any reading plan at any time! Just read the “Welcome” tab, then “Shake Hands” and join in. We’d love to have you 🙂

Don’t you remember your high school teacher saying those words just as you entered the room?!

“Take everything off your desk. You will only need this paper and a pen because today is QUIZ DAY!!”

(At that point is when we all started to panic, lol!) You then turn over the paper and begin to read the questions:

During which book did Moses build the ark?

On what day did the serpent eat the apple?

Why did Abram’s wife turn to salt?

Hmmmm……something’s a little wrong here, don’t you think?!

We’ve been reading for 8 weeks now and though lately we’ve endured long descriptive details about the tabernacle and sacrifices, there have been many other details that may be getting lost! I thought it would be fun to do a little review and see what we could remember.

The following statements have been scrambled. If you choose to accept this…

Persecution. Have you faced any? Do you think persecution still exists?

Acts, chapter four, shows Peter and John as they face the courts over the healing of the lame man in chapter three. Actually, it wasn’t the healing that got them in trouble with the court, it was the credit given to Jesus. The court did not want them to speak “in the name of Jesus”. They were even released after an overnight stay in jail, but were told to not speak in that name again.

Little did the court know what would happen….

Enter the Holy Spirit again!

Encouraging, uplifting, pointing the way to Christ and all He is, and giving boldness…boldness that quickly multiplied among the believers and jump started a whole new movement for the Lord.

These are the basic details of chapter four. I don’t feel like I can expound on them in any better way than to explain the details of yesterday’s gathering at Cornerstone.

This chapter reminds me of the song I used to sing as a child. The words explain verses 1-10 of chapter 3.

The lame man was lame from birth. This was not a trick. Because the lame man was brought to the temple daily, most people recognized him and were familiar with his disabilities. It was especially peaking to their interest when he was healed, because they had personal knowledge of his life before the healing.

Peter and John acted “in the name of Jesus Christ”, not crediting self, but pointing the action and the power of the miracle to the appropriate owner. Jesus was the One who healed the man.

Also note that the lame man instinctively gave praise and credit back to God. He went “walking and leaping and praising God”. It was a natural response. He was excited. He was grateful. He didn’t thank Peter or John, he thanked God. The healed man gave immediate testimony of the miracle to all those present that day. There was no doubt that the man was healed, and there was no doubt who was responsible for the healing because the man, himself, gave credit to God. Who better to know the Healer’s name, but the one who has been healed?

The name of Jesus holds immeasurable power. Have you ever just expressed your faith by audibly speaking in the name of Jesus Christ?

There are times in my life where I remember Christ’s name, audibly spoken, evoking power over the situation. One such time was during a 5 1/2 minute seizure my son was having. We were practicing with the praise team when he fell to the ground seizing uncontrollably. My husband ran toward us holding him and screaming my son’s name. It was horrific. I had never seen my husband that scared.

I took Brett, laid him down on the floor, called his name over and over, trying to figure out what we could do to help him. I think there was several people who were near us, others trying to keep children away, one running to call an ambulance. A lot of the ordeal was subconsciously blanked out, but what I remember is someone saying they called 911, the images of him jerking violently, his lips turning blue, then hearing the words of one of our paramedic friends say, “There’s just nothing we can do for him right now“……time just ticking by, still seizing, praying in my mind, “Lord, he’s only two…God, please help him, help him Lord“….then, suddenly I hear Cherie’s voice,

“In the name of Jesus……through the power of Your Name….”

Her prayer will always be a remembrance of that day, because the name of Jesus echoes over and over in my mind. It was Jesus who heard our cries. It was the name of Jesus that calmed my motherly panic and assured me that Brett would be okay. The name of Jesus rang out, bursting through all the chaos and noise and confusion, as if it were blasted through a loud speaker in my ear. Even now, 2 years later, I cannot fully describe the whole power that His name gave over that whole situation. It is just wonderfully unexplainable.

The name of Jesus is a powerful weapon. It cuts through fear and doubt and hurt. It reminds us that we don’t have to face situations alone. It brings our ally, the most powerful and victorious One, to our side to comfort, strengthen, heal, and destroy the futile attempts of satan against us.

This reminds me of another song:

“There is power, power in the name of Jesus.

There is power, power in Jesus’ name.

Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess

The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Son of Righteousness.

Hell is trembling at the strength we possess.

We have power, power, power in Jesus’ name.”

Jesus’ name gives us power, just as we receive through the Holy Spirit, to face each day. Verse 16 points out that Jesus’ name, through faith in His name, makes us strong.

Hell trembles at the sound of it. We have nothing more to fear. Praise the Lord for the freedom to use the name of Jesus!

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” Acts 2:1

There’s several things that jump out at me about this verse: 1) The “Day of Pentecost”, 2) the words “fully come”, and 3) that they were all with “one accord”.

What was the “Day of Pentecost”? From what I have read, it took place 50 days after the Feast of the Firsfruits. According to J. Vernon McGee, the Feast of the Firstfruits speaks of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one is his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 20-26

The Passover speaks of the death of Jesus Christ: “…For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1Corinthians 5:7-8

The words “fully come”, again according to Dr. McGee, could be translated to mean “fulfilled”. The Passover was fulfilled in the death of Jesus Christ. The Feast of Firstfruits was fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now, the Day of Pentecost, being “fully come” (aka fulfilled) means that it represented the fulfillment of something — the birth of the church, the day the church came into existence.

So, in order to understand the timeline…..

Jesus was crucified.

3 days later, He was resurrected.

For 40 days, He walked upon the earth, resurrected. (Acts 1:3)

He then ascended into heaven. (Acts. 1:9)

10 more days passed.

On the 50th day (Pentecost) the church was born and the Holy Spirit arrived.

Wow! I didn’t realize that I was going to write four posts before even getting to the first Chapter! Thanks for sticking with me so far :0)

Now’s the part where I make observations, ask questions, and depend on all of you to help me with the answers. This past Sunday’s message by Bro. Mike spoke of a warning. He made a statement about many people taking verses of scripture out of context, and I really pondered on that for a bit. My earnest intention is to not do that, but if I should stray, please help bring me back on the right track. I am by no means an educated theologian, and many times rely on information that I have picked up by reading commentaries or hearing the opinions of others. I’m just a normal gal, desiring to further my walk with the Lord as I study through Acts, and if by some way I am able to share it with any of you in writing these posts, I pray that God will use this blog as a tool for your growth and walk with the Lord to deepen. So, please forgive me if I make a mistake, or miss something in the “big picture”.

Chapter 1 – The “Who”

As I understand it, Luke, the physician, supposedly wrote the book of Acts. He is writing to a Gentile believer named Theophilus an account of the information he had gathered about Jesus. Luke, apparently, was not an eye-witness to the events but gathered undisputable evidence of all that had happened. Continue reading →